Fight or Flight
by TheAlleyCat18
Summary: They say endings are just new beginnings. But why did my new beginning have to be the ending of everything I know? I'm trapped in cruel reality where I have only two options: Fight or Flight
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tokyo Ghoul

**This story will have depictions of death, gore, and mental illness. If you are uncomfortable with any of these, please click on another story. **

**Read at your own ****discretion.**

* * *

_To live is to die, to die is to live_

* * *

"Air Japan flight 626 will be departing soon. This is the final call to board." a cheery voice echoed through the loudspeaker

My eyes move from my ticket to the gate numbers trying to find flight 626. The numbers slowly rose going from 582 then jumping to 594. As I speed walk through the airport, I finally spot my gate. A sigh of relief escapes me and I run to the counter with my ticket in hand. Once I reach the counter, I hand the man behind said counter my ticket and make my way onto the plane.

I adjust my carry-on more securely on my back and look at my ticket stub to see where I'm sitting.

Let's see, aisle K seat number 13.

My eyes shift to each letter printed along the aisles until I reach K. I look to my left and the numbers 8, 9, and 10. That means my seat is to the right and my seat is the window seat. I look at my ticket one last time to make sure that I'm in the right spot. With a nod, I scoot into the row, shift my carry-on from my back to my front, and take my seat by the window. Once I'm seated, I remove my carry-on and place it under the chair in front of me.

A large sigh escapes my lips as I turn my head to look out the window. It's early in the morning, so early that the sun still hasn't risen and the stars in the night sky are clearly visible. The plane is pretty quiet, not many people on board, just some people in business class and a few scattered souls in economy. Maybe I'll have the whole row to myself for this long flight. The thought brings a smile to my face.

"Attention all passengers, this is your Captain speaking." a voice booms from the speakers

"Take off will begin momentarily, but before we hit the sky the flight attendants will demonstrate the proper procedures to do in case of an emergency. Once that is done, our flight to Japan will begin. Approximate flight time will be ten hours and thirty-five minutes with one stop in San Francisco. From there our flight will go straight over the Pacific Ocean and straight to New Tokyo Airport. Thank you for choosing Freedom Airlines. Now please focus on the flight attendants for instructions."

In the aisles of the plane, two men and a woman stand pointing and demonstrating what to do in the case of an emergency. Life jackets are under the seat, masks will fall from the ceiling if the plane starts to go down, there are six exits on the plane, and the life rafts will deploy if contact with water occurs.

Nothing ever changes. It's the same speech on every flight, no matter the airline you choose. I haven't been on many flights but from the ones I have been on, the information is all the same. The only difference is the type of seats available on the plane and the food served.

Soon the plane starts to move and the fasten seatbelt sign flashes. With my seatbelt in place, my attention goes back to the world outside. The sun still hasn't risen and the lights from the city can be seen in the distance. As the plane accelerates, the lights blur and distort. When the plane lifts up, I really begin to wake up and a sense of freedom overcomes me.

I'm finally leaving.

I'm finally leaving this place… this **prison **I've called _home_.

Sure I will be returning but I hope it will just be to visit family. I hope that this internship will turn into an actual job offer and I'll find a new place to call _home_. Sure Florida isn't _that_ bad but the memories I have here are anything but happy. Sure there are a few good moments but too much has happened to make this place my home any longer. This trip is my escape. Call me a coward but I'm tired of the pain.

This is a new beginning for me. A new, fresh start. No more pitiful stares from strangers thinking they know what I've been through, no more people who claim to be _family_ mourning what was lost like they've always been there, and no more sleepless nights listening to my mother sob her heart out when she thinks everyone is asleep.

No more.

I'll be just another face in the crowd. I'll do my best to make this internship into a permanent position, and maybe I can start to heal. If things go smoothly enough, I'll invite my mother to come live with me. She is the only person I regret leaving in that place I called _home_. But hopefully it won't be for too long. I'll just make a new home for the both of us.

Now the lights are just specks below me. A small smile graces my lips and I continue to stare out the window, watching the world pass me by.

I wonder what the people down there are thinking… are they just getting up, or have they been up the whole night. Were they drunk? Are they insomniacs like me? We they studying for an exam? Maybe they were first time parents and kept awake by the cries of their new child… maybe someone died… maybe some teenager binge watched an entire series…

The last thought makes me laugh because I was one of those teenagers. Someone who found a new show and watched until I literally passed out. It lessened when I started college but there were some shows I kept up with. Whether it was a movie, TV series, anime, or kdrama, it didn't matter, as long as the plot was good and the characters were believable and well developed. Each show I binged took my mind off of all the stressful situations my life has put me through and had made the pain more bearable, if only for a moment. Maybe it's because I saw myself in some of the characters I saw. Their pain and strife was something I understood.

At the thought of pain, I close my eyes and take a deep, shuddering breath.

There is nothing to worry about. I'm on my way to making a new life and there is nothing anyone can do to take this opportunity away from me. Soon, mom will be with me and we will try to go back to being happy. I have to be happy, I can't stand being sad anymore.

I exhale and turn my attention away from the window. My carry-on catches my eye and I remember I brought some books and my Ipod with me to help waste time on the flight. I grab my bag and lift it up onto my lap, opening the zipper and digging through to find my Ipod and a book to read. The book is easy to find and I place it on the seat next to me while I dig a little deeper to find my music player and headphones. Soon enough I have my Ipod in hand and I set myself up to listen. I place my bag under the chair again and get comfy. I end up turning to the side and placing my legs on the other seats since no one came to claim them. They belong to me now.

The book I have in my hand is Wicked: Son of a Witch. I scroll through my music and hit play on the soundtrack from the musical Wicked. It's always good to have some music that goes with a book. It'd be even better if I had the Phantom of the Opera… I'd be belting out all of the music, especially Carlotta's lines. Carlotta has that self-esteem level that every person wishes they had.

I adjust myself a bit more before I open the book to page one and hit play on my Ipod. Ten more hours to go.

* * *

"_Good Fortune Witch Hunters!—"_

My attention is taken when a 'ding' is heard over the intercom. I take my Ipod and hit pause, taking care to place a napkin in my book to mark the page where I left off.

"Attention, this is your Captain speaking. We shall be landing in San Francisco in approximately fifteen minutes. I advise you to use the restroom now and to please put your seat belts back on. Once we've landed, please remain on board. This stop should take thirty minutes as we are only refueling. Once everything has been cleared, we will depart and head to our final destination. Thank you."

Huh?

We're already at California?

That was quick.

I shift a bit in my seat and my body locks up. My body is rigid from the hours of being in the same position. In hopes of getting rid of the stiffness, I stand up and stretch; hearing satisfying pops from almost every part of my body. With one last loud pop from my spine, I sit back down and resume my reading. Taking out the napkin, I try and find the sentence where I left off. Then I take my Ipod and hit resume.

Only five more hours to go.

* * *

I don't know how long it's been since we left San Francisco; two hours, maybe three, but I couldn't focus on my book any longer. My eyes wander to my window to be met with a storm stained sky. Turbulence shakes and jolts the planes vigorously. The captain makes an announcement to put our seatbelts on while the poor flight attendants grip the seats, trying to maintain their balance while they attempt to serve the passengers.

All I could do was continue to stare out of my window; though there wasn't much to see besides dark clouds and the occasional flash of light. Whether it was sunlight peeking through the clouds or flashes of lightning, I didn't know. So far it's nothing too bad, no rain, just dark clouds and flashing lights.

It's just some bad weather.

"Attention. Within the next few minutes, the turbulence is most likely going to increase as we are headed into a storm. There are no other flight paths but it will be fine. I ask that you remain in your seats with your seatbelts securely fastened while we go through the storm."

And true to the captain's words, the drumming of rain could be heard echoing through the plane. It wasn't anything really bad but I couldn't help but get a bit antsy. How could you blame me for getting nervous when the plane would shake and rock every few moments during a storm? But so far the only good thing is that there hasn't been any lightning nearby.

_Flash_

_Crack_

_Boom!_

The plane shook as thunder roared.

Why did I have to jinx it.

We were doing just fine mother nature, no need to make things any worse than it is! So please take your tantrum and do it somewhere else.

_Flash—BOOM!_

With that crack of thunder, the plane turned ninety degrees and everyone was jostled from their seats. Screams and yelps could be heard all around the plane and the flight attendants tried —and failed— to stay upright with the sudden motion.

"Attention please! This is your captain. Please remain calm and in your seats. The weather is taking a turn for the worse and it will be much safer for all passengers to remain seated and buckled in—"

_Flash—__**BOOM**_**!**

In that split second, the whole plane lit up and there was this feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. When the light from the strike faded, my stomach lurched and the plane started to drop.

The feeling of the plane free falling was reminiscent of those space shot rides. The ones where you suddenly drop and your insides feel like they're floating. There is one key difference between the plane and those rides: there is no safe stop at the end. There is nothing to stop us from falling from the sky other than the hope that the engines haven't failed us. Right now, I'm clinging to that hope.

Then the air masks deploy from the ceiling.

Screams of terror from the other passengers can be heard.

The words from the captain you never want to hear

"_Brace for landing"_

The plane never slows; it actually seems to fall faster as we get closer to the water and my mind goes numb. My movements are mechanical as I take the air mask and secure it on my head.

I look to the flight attendants, trying to gauge just how scared I should be. Are they calm or has fear taken over? My eyes reach their faces and I see the terror lighting up their eyes. This is bad.

My chest starts tightening and tears spring to my eyes.

I'm going to die.

There is no question about it: I am going to die here.

I'm going to die in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in a metal tube all alone.

The plane accelerates and I look out the window to see how close the ocean is to us. As my eyes peer out the window, I'm met with a jolt from the plane and the water splashes over the window. The plane teters and rocks as it settles into the ocean and my head is slammed against the window. Pain flares through me and I feel something warm trickle down my face. I bring a shaky hand to my head and am met with blood.

With teary eyes, I look for the flight attendants and reach for my life vest and carry-on. They should be able to direct us off the plane. They should be able to get us on the life rafts safely. They should know what to do in this situation. They should know… it's their job to know… but one look at their faces and my heart sinks even further.

Terror swirls in their eyes as human instinct to flee to safety kicks in. They are only human after all. Why should they not be afraid when everyone else is? It's only natural but… they trained for this… they had to know what to do if this ever happened!

My body starts shaking from the mix of fear, pain, and adrenaline.

We have to get out of the plane.

I shakily get up from my seat and that's when I notice that the floor is wet. It's not a lot of water —the amount barely covers my foot— but enough to know that this place is going to be submerged soon. Taking a few uneasy steps, I head for the nearest attendant hoping that my action will spur them into survival mode. All he needs to do is get us on a raft—_get us off this plane. _

It seems to do the trick and the attendant starts to gather his wits. He inhales deeply and then starts to belt out commands

"Ok everyone, please get your life vests and put them on. Remember they are under your seats. Once you have your vests on, make your way to the emergency exits and onto the emergency life rafts. And please remain calm—!"

The plane lurches as it's hit by a large wave outside; it sends everyone into a frenzy and I'm knocked down. A strangled yelp escapes my mouth as the back of my head hits one of the arm rests and I swear I can see stars. The attendant closest to me rushes to my aid, gently cradling my head and slowly picks me up. He leads me to the exit where a small raft awaits outside.

The sea could only be described as one thing at this moment: merciless.

Waves at least eight feet tall are all around us and the small raft doesn't look like it could survive the storm. It's constantly being shoved and pummeled by the waves and it makes me second guess getting on. At least in the plane, I'm protected from the fierce wind, rain, and waves. Out there, I'm at the oceans mercy.

The flight attendant doesn't even wait for my approval about leaving the plane before I am thrown onto the raft. Rain starts pelting me and the wind rips right through me. I'm seized by the cold and my body shakes violently. Other passengers are on the raft, all looking as miserable and helpless as me. My head throbs and my blood mixes with the rain. There only seems to be one other person who is injured: a man in an expensive suit cradling his arm, which is bent at a very awkward angle.

A wave crashes into the raft, sending everyone sliding and falling every which way.

I'm catapulted out of the raft along with three other people. My life vest is barely able to keep me above the surface as the waves continue to pound me. My head is both literally and figuratively swimming as I try to get my bearings enough to attempt to swim back to the raft. Between the cold and my throbbing head, I can barely get my arms to move — let alone swim enough to keep me afloat.

Another wave crashes into me and I'm sent under the water.

The salt stings my eyes and I break through the surface. I splutter and cough at the unwanted water in my lungs. The raft has also gotten farther away from me. I cough a few more times before attempting to yell and get someone's attention. Someone has to help me right? They can't just leave me… right?

"Hey! Somebody… HELP!"

Between the wind and waves, my voice is lost. Fear grips me as I take in the situation. I need to get back to the raft. I need to—

Another wave swallows me.

My lungs burn as I try and reach the surface but I've been caught in a rip current. I'm being thrown and shoved every which way but up: the one place I need to go to survive.

My arms tear through the water, trying to break free from the oceans grasp. I'm able to break through just long enough to get a well cherished breath before being shoved back under. This time though, it feels as if a car slammed into my chest and my breath escapes.

Bubbles fly out of my mouth as I choke.

I claw my way back to the surface but the waves hold me under. My chest burns with the need to breathe but there is no air. Tears mix with the sea as I try desperately to break the surface. The life vest helps a bit with pulling me up but it's no use. My body betrays me and inhales a large amount of seawater.

The feeling of water filling my lungs burns and I involuntarily cough, trying to get it out, only to inhale more water. My vision blurs as I look up to the surface. I can see flashes of light dancing across the surface as waves roll on top, distorting the light to almost make it look like stars in the night sky.

A few more bubbles escape my mouth before the darkness creeps over my vision.

So much for my new beginning…

…

…

…

…

…

"_Ma'am? It's time to wake up. We're landing soon._"

* * *

**AN **

**After a two year writing hiatus, this is the first piece of fiction I have been happy enough with to publish. I'm trying to do something a bit different but we'll see how this goes.**

**—TheAlleyCat**


	2. Chapter 2

_So much for my new beginning… _

…

…

…

…

…

"_Ma'am? It's time to wake up. We're landing soon."_

* * *

I jolt at the sudden voice and a small shriek escapes my mouth.

"Pardon me, but we are landing." the male flight attendant tells me

My eyes widen in shock.

I'm not dead.

I'm not _dead_.

I'm. Not. Dead.

What the hell? Was that all… just a dream? A nightmare?

No.

It felt too real.

"Attention passengers, prepare for landing. We thank you once again for flying with us and hope that you enjoy your stay here in Japan."

All too soon the plane lands safely on the runway. In a daze, I grab my book and IPod and shove them back into my carry-on while also place the bag onto my back. My feet develop a mind of their own and lead me off the plane and to customs and luggage claim.

Everything from that point on was a blur. I was still trying to come to terms with what I had _dreamt_. It _couldn't_ have been a dream it couldn't… and yet… I'm still here. Everything is here and nothing seems out of place.

Mechanically, I searched for my luggage; not even bothering to steal a glance at the people around me. Nothing feels real right now. Not the air hitting me from the air conditioning, nor the sounds of people chittering around me. Not even my luggage that is now secured within my grasp. It's all hazy. I still feel like I'm under water, that I'm just gliding through what could have been. There is nothing I can do to shake this feeling of being submerged. I simply move according to what my body tells me. I don't fight it. My body carries me through the airport until I reach a customs desk. There I actually have to interact with another person; the question is, can I do it?

"_Hello, how may I help you?_" the woman at the desk asks in Japanese

"_I just landed from the United States and I need to exchange my currency while also getting information on my living arrangements. I'm interning at the astronomy center here in Tokyo._" I reply almost humanly back in Japanese

"_I see. Let me see your passport and I'll get you all set up._"

I take my passport out of my carry-on and hand it to her.

"_Thank you Moreno-san. I see here that you will be living in an apartment in the 20th ward and you will be brought to and from the observatory by your colleagues. You also have funds set aside from your bank for your stay courtesy of the internship. Once you meet with your superior he will go into more detail about that but I will help set you up and exchange the currency you have on your person._"

I'm handed back my passport and I take out my wallet to see what money I have on me. It seems as though I have forty three dollars. I hand the money to her and she changes it into yen. She hands me back 4,971.44 yen. That's when something clicks in my head and for the first time since I 'woke up', I finally feel like I've broken the surface and I'm _alive_.

"_Excuse me, but you said I'd be staying in the 20th ward? What does that mean?_"

She looks a bit startled by my question but then smiles once again and explains

"_You see, Tokyo is divided into twenty-four wards. The separation of area makes it easier for the CCG to investigate and monitor. But you shouldn't be worried, the 20th ward has some of the least amount of ghoul activity._"

"_Ghouls…?" _ I murmur

My mind reels at the information.

The 20th ward?

CCG?

Ghouls?

Is this real or are they playing tricks? Ghouls don't exist.

"_Yes. Though I'm not sure about how America deals with the existence of ghouls, we here in Tokyo try to make it as safe as possible for humans to live by getting rid of them. You should have nothing to fear, the CCG is there to keep us safe._" she replies with a false smile but there is an undertone of fear in her words

This can't possibly be…

It's impossible…

"_Ah, I see. Thank you for informing me. I should get going and get some rest before I meet with my superiors._" I tell the woman, giving a false smile

"_Have a nice stay here in Japan_."

I nod and make my way out of the building. There has got to be a reason for this. Maybe it's a prank and they were trying to see the reaction of people. But why? What would the point of it be? Why make it sound like I stepped into an anime?

Don't dwell Alice, it won't do you any good. Move forward and look for your guide.

My eyes scanned the area for a person holding a sign with my name on it. I couldn't see anyone yet so I started to walk a little further outside. The wind was gentle and ruffled my hair a bit; nothing like the wind from the _dream_. Soon I hear a voice shout out

"_Moreno-san! Moreno-san!_"

I search for the voice and see a guy who looks a bit older than me holding a white sign and wearing a lab coat oddly enough. Waving my hand, I trot over to him.

"_Ah Moreno-san I presume?_" he asks

"_Yes that's me. Are you my guide?_"

"_Yes, my name is Matsuyama Toshiharu. I am to be your guide and partner during your internship. Let's get you to your new apartment before I start overloading you with information!_" he says cheerily

I mutely nod and follow his lead. We head to a car idly waiting on the side and get in. Not much is said during the ride and I'm grateful for the silence and time to think. Though my thoughts just dwell on my supposed dream.

It was so real. The wind, the rain, and the waves. I could remember everything in great detail. Hell, I still feel the burn in my lungs from the water and lack of oxygen, the pain from my head wound. Could it have been a lucid dream? Possibly but the details and the residual sensations are just too real to make me believe it was just a really lucid dream. What else could it have been? I mean I woke up. That must mean that what happened wasn't real but my gut tells me it was. Everything in my being tells me I died at that moment—

"_Moreno-san we're here._" Toshiharu interrupts

The building is fairly large and very modern. We step out of the car and Toshiharu walks to the trunk of the car and proceeds to take out my luggage, handing me my carry-on and one of my three suitcases. Once everything is out, the trunk is closed and we make our way inside.

The reception area is breathtaking. It's completely furnished with marble floors and pillars and the area itself is bright and warm. The walls are colored a soft warm cream with various paintings strewn across the walls.

"If this is the reception area, I wonder what the apartment is like." I wonder out loud in English

"_The apartments are very nice Moreno-san. I should know, I live in one similar to this about three streets over._" Toshiharu replies back in Japanese "_I also took the liberty of getting your key while you were admiring the decor. Come let's head up and I'll explain what you will be doing during your stay._"

"_Lead the way Matsuyama-san_." I reply while gesturing for him to take the lead.

He guides me to an elevator and begins his explanation

"_As you should already know, you have been accepted to intern with the leading astronomers and astrophysicists here in Japan. The whole internship will last six months but if you prove yourself you may end up being assigned here on a more permanent basis._"

"_That's what I'm hoping for. I just hope I can be helpful and be able to stay here longer than six months._" I reply

"_That's the kind of attitude we are looking for. Most people your age these days don't have the drive you do._" Toshiharu tells me with a smile

"_So what exactly will I be getting myself into while working here?_" I ask

"_Well, it will vary depending on who you are working under. When you work under me, you will be monitoring radio frequencies and looking for discrepancies or abnormalities in the radio waves emitted by nearby galaxy clusters or binary star systems. I can't really tell you what the others will have you do but I hope you won't find it too boring!_" he jokes

"_It can't be worse than sitting at a computer for hours looking at spectral classifications trying to differentiate between different white dwarf stars._" I chuckle

The elevator 'dings', signifying that we are on the right floor and the doors open up. The hallway is empty but it's still as nice as the reception area. Toshiharu then guides me in the direction of the apartment.

"_Your apartment number is 639. It's one of the more Americanized models here. We thought you'd feel better if it felt a bit like home. It's not often we get foreign interns, so we wanted to make this experience memorable._" Toshiharu tells me with a warm grin

I stop dead in my tracks in shock.

"_Is something wrong?_" Toshiharu asks concernedly

"_It's just that… no one has been this kind to me in a long time. I really appreciate all you're doing for me._" I struggle to say, nearly choking on the emotions wedging themselves in my throat

"_It's no trouble Moreno-san. Those of us at the observatory are like family and we will welcome you with open arms. Now, we wanted you to be able to adjust to the time changes and the area so you won't begin working for the next two weeks. Do as you wish with your time and when the two weeks are over, I will come by to pick you up and drive you to the observatory. And before I forget… _"

Toshiharu then sticks his arm into his coat and seems to grab something from inside

"_This envelope contains a company card. It will be where your pay ends up and you can use it on whatever you like; though please don't go spending like crazy. It already has your pay for the two weeks you have off on here so you are set and won't need to contact the bank you used in America. You also have a list of all the phone numbers of the people from the observatory, including mine. So if you need anything, don't be afraid to get in touch._"

To say I'm shocked at the generosity being shown to me is an understatement. There are no words to express how grateful I am to this man and the company for taking me in and doing all of this. They could have easily just given me the directions to the observatory and I would have had to fend for myself but they decided to take me in. They decided they wanted to make me feel at home and welcomed. That's more than I could have ever hoped for.

"_Matsuyama-san, I can't thank you enough for this. I'm honestly speechless by your generosity and kindness you have shown me. I promise to put my all into my work here in order to repay your kindness._" I tell Toshiharu earnestly while bowing

"_Ma ma, it's quite alright. Now I should get going and let you settle in. Do you have any last minute questions for me about anything?_" he asks

At first I didn't think of anything to ask but then the strange words of the customs woman rang through my mind.

"_If you don't mind me asking Matsuyama-san, why exactly is Tokyo divided into different wards? A woman at the airport said it was because of ghouls but I just wanted to make sure._"

Toshiharu visibly stiffened. I guess the mention of ghouls is a touchy subject here in Japan. But why though? Is it like some sort of gang? Or could it really be…

"_I don't know how things are in America with ghouls but here in Japan, ghouls run rampant. They hide amongst humans only to kill and feast upon them later. The different wards allow the CCG to regulate and control ghoul activity. My advice to you would be to stay in highly populated places and not to stay out too late. I don't mean to scare you but I want you to be prepared in case anything were to happen._" Toshiharu warns

My mind reels at the information. How can this be? Ghouls don't exist and yet this man and the woman were dead serious about their existence. This has to be a prank right?

"_You shouldn't worry though. The 20th ward is one of the calmer wards, though there has been some recent activity. It seems as though a 'binge eater' is on the prowl, but the targets have mostly been young men._" Toshiharu explains

"_I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Matsuyama-san. I think I should start to unpack and relax after my long flight._" I tell him trying to sound nonchalant

"_Alright Moreno-san. Have a nice night and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything._"

With that, Toshiharu promptly left my apartment.

Once the door shut and I knew I was completely alone, I fell to my knees.

What in the world? How can this be? This… this isn't real. I'll just google Tokyo Ghoul and from there I should see the familiar characters from the anime. Yeah, I'll do that.

I pull my carry-on towards me and rummage for my phone. It was hard because my hands were shaking like crazy. Why are they shaking, it's just a prank right? These _ghouls_ are probably members of a gang and I'm just overreacting. My hand come into contact with my phone and I pull it out of the bag.

Pressing the home button, I swipe the screen, unlocking the phone. I quickly look for the Chrome app and click it. The page opens up and I begin to type in the words 'Tokyo Ghoul' then hit search. What popped up was not what I was expecting.

Instead of having a couple of images of the main characters, a wiki page, and a couple of fan sites, I'm met with links to the CCG and some news stories about possible ghoul attacks in Tokyo.

This can't be…

I erase 'Tokyo Ghoul' and I replace it with the name of the main character: 'Kaneki Ken'.

What pops up are some pictures of random men that apparently have that name, not the adorable turned sexy anime character that people all adore.

'Kirishima Touka'

More pages of random people with the same name, no sign of an anime character.

'Uta'

Google showing me translations for the word 'uta' and sites where I could get singing lessons.

'Anteiku'

An add pops for a coffee shop near me with the same name.

'HySy Artmask Studio'

Another add for a studio here in Tokyo for an actual mask studio with that particular name.

'Ghoul'

Pages upon pages of information about creatures known as 'ghouls' and what about them makes them so dangerous to people. There were even links to the CCG's website to report any possible ghoul activity that someone may have witnessed or experienced.

'CCG'

The full name pops onto the screen and has a link to the official website of the Commission of Counter Ghoul. The so called face of the CCG website: Arima Kishou.

The phone drops from my hand and I start to hyperventilate.

My breath is shallow and comes in short bursts as my chest feels like someone put a cinder block on it. Black dots start to cloud my vision and I know if I don't try to calm down, I will pass out. Just breathe Alice: breathe.

Inhale

Hold

Exhale

Repeat

I did this for about fifteen minutes.

There has to be a reason why I'm here, why it somehow seems as though I've entered another world. Maybe if I call my mother, I can get a better understanding of what's going on. Could it be that ghouls haven't really made a fuss back in America? But if that were true, we would have heard about it on the news. Besides everything I searched came from an anime! There is no way it could be real and yet everything I've searched has legitimate and government run websites or has been nothing but people with the same name.

Shaking my head, I start to dial my mother's number.

My heart sinks.

"We're sorry, the number you have called cannot be completed as dialed. Try hanging up and call again."

What? How can it be a wrong number? Maybe I actually did type in the wrong number. Ok, calm down and just redial.

…

"We're sorry, the number you have called cannot be completed as dialed—"

This can't be.

I know mom hasn't changed her number and her phone is still in service. So why is it telling me that her number doesn't work? Maybe I should try calling my brother, that should work right?

I dial his number and wait

…

"We're sorry—"

I hang up and immediately call again

"We're sorry—"

No.

This can't be happening.

What's going on? I know that their numbers work, they haven't changed phones or numbers within the last day I saw them. I literally saw them a day ago for my farewell dinner. So why is this happening? Could it be…but it's not possible…

My heart clenches as I go back to the internet and type in

'Florida Car Crash May 1st'

A couple of results pop up and then I find the one I'm looking for. I click on the link and I'm sent to the Sun Sentinel page where the car crash I was in three years ago happened. I skim the page looking for the survivors of the crash.

As I read, a certain phrase catches my eye

'**There was only one survivor**'

What? One survivor? That's impossible. The only person to die in that crash was my dad but why is it saying that there was only one person who lived? I continue to read

'**There was only one survivor of this horrific crash, 18 year old Alice Moreno. She sustained many life threatening injuries and was rushed into emergency surgery where she is still recovering. Her parents and brothers all died at the scene before help could arrive—**'

That's… that's a _lie_! I wasn't the only one who lived! My brothers, my mom! They _lived_! My mother has some speech impairments due to the head injury she sustained, my older brother was paralyzed from the waist down, and my younger brother was in a coma! But they were all _Alive_! So why… why is this telling me that they died? They're not dead! They're not…

I then decided to call the hospital where my younger brother is at. They can't lie to me. They will probably say that he still hasn't woken up yet and I'll thank them for the update and ask if they could tell my mother to call me because something is wrong with her phone.

I dial the hospital and then put in the extension number.

"Memorial ICU center how may I help you?" a man on the other end asks

"Hi I was wondering if I could know the status of a patient?" I manage to ask

"May I know the patient's name and who is calling?"

"The patient is Aiden Moreno and this is his sister Alice Moreno calling." I nervously say

"Alright let me see… Oh I'm sorry, there is no record of a patient by that name in our database but Ms. Moreno it shows that you were a patient here." he tells me

My heart sinks and I say

"I… I was a patient three years ago. But please, I need to know about my brother. Is he ok? Did he wake up?"

"It says you doctor was Samuels, he's here so let me transfer you over to him." the receptionist says and tears begin to stream down

"Hello this is Dr. Samuels."

"… Dr. Samuels… it's Alice Moreno. Do you remember me?" my voice wavers as the words leave my lips

"Moreno… oh yes! Hi how are you?" Dr. Samuels asks cheerily

"I… was wondering about my brother… is he doing alright?" I ask

"Your brother?"

"Yeah…"

"Alice… your brother died three years ago… in the same crash that killed your parents and older brother." he tells me slowly

"But…"

"This isn't the first time you've had a memory relapse. Trauma does that to people, and the head injury you sustained is also to blame for this. But I'm sorry Alice, you were the only one to survive that crash."

"That can't be…" I mumble

"Alice, I know this is hard but I think—"

I hang up on the doctor

He's wrong. They're not dead!

They're not…

But…

What if I am?

Things start to come together as memories from the _dream_ come flooding in.

The storm.

The plane going down.

The merciless sea.

The light dancing above the surface as I drowned.

I had died and yet, here I am. But everyone else is dead?

Was this the price to pay to live? Did my entire family have to be ripped from me just so I could survive that damned plane crash? And what about this whole thing with ghouls actually existing? Am I actually in the anime 'Tokyo Ghoul' or is this just some really freaky coincidence?

Just what the hell happened to me…


End file.
